Join MRI as we hit the green to give back in the 25th Annual MRI Charity Golf Outing on Monday, June 5 at South Side Country Club. The $560 registration fee includes one team of four players, golf fees, carts, lunch, drinks, a goody bag and dinner.

Contact Melanie Bilbrey at 217.875.8850 or MBilbrey@maconresources.org to register.

All proceeds benefit MRI (Macon Resources, Inc.), the largest service provider for children and adults with disabilities in the Mid-West. Each year, MRI serves over 800 children and adults with disabilities in job placement, day training, after school care, inclusive day care, community involvement and more!

Our Voice Through Art, a local program providing art classes for teens and adults with disabilities, will now be offered through MRI.

Our Voice Through Art began when Jarrett Sekosky, who is on the Autism spectrum and has very little verbal communication, discovered he was able to express himself through art. Since then, Jarrett, his family and his supporters have been working hard to share this connection with other individuals with disabilities in the community. Our Voice Through Art offers multiple six-week sessions per year, with the next session starting February 7. Each session is led by Argenta-Orena art teacher Jodi England with her assistant Terri Ellis and varying guest artists. Each week, the class focuses on a different form of art ranging from drawing to sculpting and more!

Follow Our Voice Through Art on Facebook to stay connected with what we’re doing. For more information or to register for the upcoming session call MRI at 217-875-8850 or email MBilbrey@maconresources.org.

Just before his third birthday, Elden had been receiving Early Intervention speech and language services through Independence Pointe. As his Early Intervention services were about to end, Elden’s mother, Jenell, was worried about his future. That December, she was invited to Independence Pointe’s Christmas Party. After attending the party and meeting the Independence Pointe staff and other families receiving services, “all those anxieties went away.”

Since that first meeting, Elden has been enrolled in various services offered at Independence Pointe. He is currently in speech therapy, which he began right after turning three. Elden had been non-verbal until he was almost four. Thanks to Independence Pointe’s speech therapy program, Elden spoke his first words at age four. “To hear him now at the age of six,” Jenell explains, “you would never guess he was ever non-verbal.”

“Through his hard work and the guidance of the amazing Independence Pointe ABA staff, his social awareness and skills gave grown leaps and bounds.” -Jenell, Elden’s mother

Shortly after beginning speech therapy, Elden was diagnosed with Autism. That summer, they began Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at Independence Pointe. Elden spent the summer at Independence Pointe working hard to improve his social skills. He used to enjoy watching other kids play, but now he wants to join in as well! Independence Pointe has even helped out at home. Jenell explains, “we’ve learned more about what triggers his meltdowns and how to effectively calm him down.”

Recently, Elden’s parents also started attending Parents Night Out, a program designed to give parents a night out while Independence Pointe teaches and entertains their children. While the parents get a short break from parenting, the children work on social skills by playing games, enjoying guest performers, and taking field trips into the community.

“Parents Night Out is more than just getting an occasional night out with my husband. Elden gets essential social interaction and play. He gets to experience activities and friends in a setting that I know is safe.” -Jenell, Elden’s mother

Independence Pointe provides services to promote the growth of individuals who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Children’s Autism Services at Independence Pointe include Speech and Language Therapy, Child Care for children of all abilities ages 0-18, Social Skills Camp, Social Skills Support, an Autism Resource Room, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). ABA provides instruction to improve the day-to-day life of children with ASD or other developmental disabilities. ABA instruction, typically offered in a one-on-one setting to meet the needs of each learner, is focused on teaching skills and decreasing behaviors that interfere with learning.

When Ethan was diagnosed with mild to moderate autism just before he turned three, his mother, Melissa, was worried. She wasn’t familiar with many autism resources and was scared of the unknown. She contacted MRI Independence Pointe for support. After learning more about MRI’s Autism Services at Independence Pointe, immediately enrolled Ethan in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and speech therapy.

Since Ethan began receiving speech therapy, he is finally making progress. He has gained the equivalence of two years of speech and language development. With the support of MRI’s Independence Pointe, Melissa has also gained some insight into better ways to help him communicate more effectively at home. When Ethan was first diagnosed with autism, Melissa felt isolated because, “people don’t understand some of the erratic behaviors Ethan has.” ABA therapy has helped reduce and even eliminate many of those behaviors, which makes communicating and socializing easier for Ethan.

‘The changes I have seen in my son are nothing short of amazing.” – Melissa, Ethan’s mother

Independence Pointe provides services to promote the growth of individuals who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Children’s Autism Services at Independence Pointe include Speech and Language Therapy, Child Care for children of all abilities ages 0-18, Social Skills Camp, Social Skills Support, an Autism Resource Room, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). ABA provides instruction to improve the day-to-day life of children with ASD or other developmental disabilities. ABA instruction, typically offered in a one-on-one setting to meet the needs of each learner, is focused on teaching skills and decreasing behaviors that interfere with learning.